A group of Turkish mercenaries from Syria held a protest in front of the headquarters of the Hamzat Brigade and the headquarters of the Turkish ruler in Afrin to demand financial dues from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leaders of Turkey for what they described as their salaries which they did not receive after they fought in Libya with the Government of National Accord and its armed factions for months against the Libyan National Army in Tripoli.
One of the young men who fought in Libya and was recruited by the Turkish intelligence in Kilis and Gaziantep said that he did not go out for jihad, but rather to live with his family, adding that he was part of the Hamzat militia, which was one of the first militias that came to Libya to fight as its fighters stayed for five months in the field and lost hundreds in the clashes against the Libyan National Army.
The protesters added that when they came to the Hamzat headquarters to inquire about their money, they were informed that they were dismissed from the brigade while they were in Libya and had no financial dues, as if they were “slaves”, as one of the mercenaries put it.
